08/03/2023
A word about allergies.
Seeing this photo of Chilli chillin’ made me think about how nicely her red rash had cleared up using only what I call the ’Simple’ approach.
There are three main allergies dog’s suffer from, and that make them itchy:
Flea allergy
Contact allergy
Food allergy
How can you tell which is which? Easy - look at where your doggie is scratching and where she’s developing red, sore skin.
If it’s at the base of the tail, lots of biting around the tail area, rubbing her back on the carpet, nibbling at the upper leg - it’s time to check for fleas. When was your last application of a flea preventative? Is there any flea dirt present anywhere, little specks that look like black dirt?
If your doggie is licking and scratching at her belly, thighs, anywhere on her ‘undercarriage’ and/or at her paws, chances are that it could be a contact allergy. Something she lays on, her bedding even (what material is it made from??), grass, wet grass in particular (same applies to paws - think morning walk through the dewy grass), w**ds in the backyard or on a walk (asthma w**d, wandering Jew…)
If she’s scratching all over, rashes appearing anywhere on her body, sore spots in random places, chances are that you’re dealing with a food allergy, the most difficult allergy of all to deal with. Food allergies are tricky to diagnose and to treat because the allergen needs to be identified. Think human skin scratch tests - it’s similar for dogs. And when the allergen is found, it’s a bit of trial and error to avoid this particular ingredient or allergen in all foods that your furry friend is eating.
Getting back to my little girl here, she gets contact allergies. It’s seasonal for her, typically in spring and summer she starts itching. She bites her paws and sometimes there’s redness on her upper thighs. I can ’hear’ her getting an allergy😂…We call it “glopping” - you know, the sound a dog makes when he/she is licking bare skin.
This is how we get on top of a contact allergy:
We have an old ice cream container filled with fresh water by the front of the door and a face washer. Several times a day, particularly when she’s been for a walk, we will wipe her undercarriage a couple and dry her with a small hand towel. This is to remove any pollens or allergens which she has picked up. I then apply aloe Vera- we have a plant that I use for this purpose, but the store bought variety will also do the job.
It only takes a couple of days before the redness disappears. Then I apply my herb infused ointment which acts as a barrier cream and promotes skin healing (but this step is optional).
This is our ‘Simple’ approach. Of course, every doggie is different and allergies are a minefield to diagnose and manage, so it’s best to see your vet for a diagnosis and treatment. There are also immune disorders which can cause itchiness and skin issues, therefore seeking veterinary advice is a wise first step.
